


dastardly handsome

by jaexstar



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 09:08:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11917671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaexstar/pseuds/jaexstar
Summary: no one asked byun baekhyun if he wanted to help elven prince zhang yixing, but sign him the fuck up anyway.





	dastardly handsome

Let it be known to all that Zhang Yixing is proud of his kingdom, has an infinite love for his people, and would give his soul to protect his family. 

 

Let it also be known that Zhang Yixing did not want to leave his home, leave his people behind, or leave his mother when all that stands between her and a magical portal to another realm is himself. 

 

His mother’s hurried whispers puncture through the stillness of the night, with tension in her shoulders that Yixing isn’t quite used to seeing. She explains that they will send word for him when the time is right, when it is safe for him to come home and ascend the throne. Yixing protests, obviously, but she is firm in this decision. It is his duty as crown prince to survive  _now_  so that the whole kingdom will have a future  _later_. The war with their neighboring country will end soon, she promises. She can feel it. 

 

But with victory close to their fingertips, enemies from all directions are eager for Yixing’s blood, as the rightful successor and future king. And that is why he must go now, she explains. For his protection means the protection of them all. 

 

And in theory, Yixing gets that. From a tactical standpoint, it makes sense. 

 

Except it feels downright cowardly- to run and hide while his people fight for a peace that may never come. When he tells his mother this, she smiles gently, as if to tell him she knows. But if Yixing were to be murdered or kidnapped, it could tip the scales of the entire war in a way they cannot afford. Zhang Yixing, beloved first son and rightful prince, absolutely cannot fall here.

 

“There is no pride in retreat,” Yixing says, frowning. 

 

The queen agrees. “But what is pride if you were to pass away?” The sad smile on her face breaks his heart. “I know you do not wish to leave, son,” she says. “But this is the only choice we have.” From a distance, Yixing sees smoke rising from the southside of the Forbidden Forest. Not a good sign. 

 

“Mother,” he starts, to point out the impending danger of a burning forest.

 

She smiles back at him like she already knows. She probably does. How does she look like she knows everything? Yixing wants to know, has wanted to know since he was a child. She is still smiling at him, even as she takes off the necklace she is wearing and puts it into her son’s hands. “Please be safe.”   

 

With those words, Yixing lets himself be pushed backwards into a mythical doorway that will take him from everything he knows. 

 

-

 

Baekhyun does not understand how he is always on the verge of being late, like it is his duty in life or something. 

 

It is not like he wants to oversleep, really. He can’t help it if his delicately sensible ears choose to ignore the jarring sounds of an alarm. 

 

Which brings Baekhyun to his current situation- speed walking to class. He’d run, but he’s not  _that_ late. Yet. 

 

From the corner of his eye, Baekhyun sees someone dressed like they were meant to be in a historical drama. Full plate of armor, a little bit of grime, and long hair tied by a headband. Yup. All accounted for. He quickly asks himself if Halloween has come early this year, or if the theater club will be performing soon- but Chanyeol would never miss out on an early Halloween and Kyungsoo would tell him if he was in something new, so Baekhyun quickly dismisses both ideas. 

 

Oh well, Baekhyun decides. He walks on, passing the stranger. Not his problem. 

 

The stranger steps in front of him.

 

Okay. Still not his problem. Baekhyun tries to sidestep the Halloween connoisseur. 

 

“My kingdom is at war,” the stranger declares, tone somber and low. Baekhyun kind of really does not care. What Baekhyun does care about, however, is getting to his 10:30 A.M current issues capstone class on time. “Please help me.” 

 

A quick look at his watch tells Baekhyun that he does not, in fact, have time for this. “Good luck with that,” he says in that fake polite tone a person uses when a stranger hands them a flyer. 

 

The stranger continues talking in the same somber and low tone. “I have come to your world in hopes of survival before I can safely return.” 

 

“Yeah, okay,” Baekhyun says, sidestepping the stranger and continuing onto his quest to Psychological Trauma in Childhood and Adolescence. He takes five steps before he realizes that the stranger has also taken five steps. “Don’t follow me,” Baekhyun scolds. “It’s creepy.” 

 

“I have no one else,” the stranger explains. Which is not a lie, because he had just crashed into this world a minute ago. The stranger tellingly takes a twig out of his hair, which no doubt belonged to the nearby bush that had softened his landing. Baekhyun later learns that he has the honor of being the first person to walk by. “Please help.” 

 

Baekhyun has a snarky response to this, but he is promptly distracted when the stranger searches for more twigs, tucking a lock of hair behind an ear, thus exposing them to the world. “Are those- what’s up with your ears?”

 

The stranger’s pointed ears twitch, like they’re trying to communicate back. “My ears?” 

 

Baekhyun wants to touch them. “They look like elf ears,” he says, fingers twitching. He really wants to touch them. What good prosthetic. 

 

“Because I’m an elf,” the stranger says, in a tone that has Baekhyun feeling a little stupid. “All elves have them.” 

 

“An elf,” Baekhyun deadpans. Everything about this is screaming “stranger danger”- from the clothes to the ears to the dastardly good looks. This must be a trap. He squints hard at the person in front of him, then at his watch (it’s 10:21 now and his class is ten minutes away), and then back to the new person’s face. He takes a cautious step to the side. The stranger mirrors his movement.

 

No offense to Baekhyun himself, but this gorgeous dastard of a trap looks like he could outrun Baekhyun any day of the week. 

 

Baekhyun spends another ten seconds just squinting at the elven stranger’s face.

 

Well, at least this elf is pretty. “I’ll let you follow me if you let me touch your ears.”

 

-

 

“So what’s your name?” Baekhyun asks as they’re walking through the familiar path to Baekhyun’s first class of the day. 

 

“Zhang Yixing.” Some of the prior seriousness in Yixing’s voice has faded away, leaving a soft and sweet tone behind. The elf rubs at his ears to soothe them, after being assaulted by his savior just mere moments ago. 

 

It’s a little late to be thinking about this, but Yixing wonders why his mother didn't push him through the portal with a plan? All he really has is the person standing in front of him. As such, Yixing follows his savior dutifully. 

 

“I’m Baekhyun. Byun Baekhyun.” 

 

“Byun Baekhyun,” Yixing dutifully repeats, committing the foreign name to memory. Baekhyun preens at the sound of his name coming from this ~elf~. All things considered, this is probably the best Monday morning he has had in a long while. Maybe having Yixing around won’t be so bad. 

 

Baekhyun even thinks he’ll make it to class on time. He picks up the pace and Yixing follows him easily. Baekhyun knew he was right to not try and outrun Yixing. It would have been a waste of effort. As such, he makes small talk instead. He finds that Yixing talks a little outdated, kind of like an old textbook. Or an audiobook. Yixing finds that Baekhyun just talks. A lot. 

 

So far, so good. 

 

Baekhyun hums cheerfully as he swings open the doors to his main building, with Yixing following behind cautiously. Yixing marvels at the lights and doors and colored slips of paper stuck on the wall. He wonders who is behind the sorcery of the lights. How much magic must he have to put light into all these weirdly shaped glass globes? Come to think of it, the main man of light magic back in his own world bears a slight resemblance to Byun Baekhyun. 

 

With these thoughts, Yixing follows Baekhyun rather blindly through what seems like a maze- until they stop in front of a contraption of sorts.

 

Baekhyun jabs at the elevator button so that he can get onto the fifth floor. Yixing may look fit enough to run up five flights of stairs, but Baekhyun knows he’ll be wheezing after the third one. The doors open with a ding and Baekhyun steps in. When he turns around, he sees that Yixing has not moved. “What are you doing?” Baekhyun asks, gesturing for him to get inside. 

 

“Byun Baekhyun,” Yixing says, taking on the same somber tone from earlier. “You are in a metal trap.” It clearly looks like some type of imprisonment. The doors start to close and Yixing whips out a hidden blade to jab at the menacing framework in panic, not wanting to lose his savior. The doors recede slowly. 

 

“What.” Baekhyun is as confused as Yixing is panicked. 

 

The doors move to close once more, but Yixing is ready this time. Instead of a jab, he gets a full swing in with his sword. 

 

Holy fuck. Baekhyun quickly checks for bystanders or concerned classmates that could call the campus police. Thankfully, the elevator and surrounding area is deserted, with everyone probably in class already. “Where were you even hiding that?” Baekhyun would screech, but that would probably make everything worse, so he furiously whispers instead. As if to mock him, the blade hits the fluorescent light just right and glints. 

 

“You do not carry a weapon for protection whilst you willingly walk into traps?” Yixing cocks his head, genuinely curious. 

 

“What- of course I don’t- what trap,” Baekhyun sputters, finally stepping out of the elevator so that Yixing doesn’t attack it once more. A quick assessment tells Baekhyun that the left elevator door has a dent in it that would be very hard to explain. “Put that away,” he hisses. 

 

Yixing frowns but carefully sheathes his blade, tucking it back into place on his back. “I do not understand why you are reacting this way.” The blade blends in rather seamlessly with the rest of Yixing’s armor. Elf magic, maybe? 

 

Baekhyun takes another look at his watch- it’s 10:27 now. He sighs and dejectedly waves goodbye to the elevator before ushering Yixing to follow him. 

 

They take the stairs. 

 

As predicted, Baekhyun’s thighs burn, he’s halfway to dry heaving by the fifth flight up, and he is late to class anyway. 

 

-

 

Baekhyun quickly instructs Yixing to wait for him before he rushes into the classroom, a little breathless but shameless as he scampers into his seat. The whole class, professor included, is used to Baekhyun being a little late.

 

Yixing dutifully waits in the exact same place where Baekhyun left him. He stands relatively still and smiles when people point or whisper. The sense of dread and doom has gradually faded since finding Baekhyun, so he does not mind patiently waiting. If Yixing were to be honest with himself, when he first crashed into that bush, he was a little afraid that he would have to discover this world alone. Also, he has nothing else to do. He does not wander in fear of chancing upon more menacing traps. 

 

When Baekhyun walks out of his capstone class an hour and fifteen minutes later, he is pleasantly surprised to see Yixing exactly where he left him. Yixing’s face lights up in recognition when he finds Baekhyun through the flood of students and Baekhyun can’t help but grin in response. 

 

Yixing is seriously reminding Baekhyun of a puppy right now.

 

Baekhyun likes puppies. 

 

-

 

Baekhyun recovers from the minor shock of Yixing hacking away at an innocent elevator door rather fantastically as they walk to Baekhyun’s next class. “I picture you as an archer type, not a swordsman.”

 

Yixing hums and thinks of his dear friend Luhan, who is undoubtedly the best shot in their kingdom. Luhan would probably have a laughing fit at the thought of Yixing trading his sword for arrows. “Why do you say that?”

 

Baekhyun shrugs and laughs a little bit at his own reasoning. “You know, like Legolas.”

 

“Who is Legolas?” Yixing asks politely because his mother raised a son with impeccable manners. 

 

“You’ve never watched- of course you’ve never watched Lord of the Rings.” Baekhyun laughs to himself. “Oh man. You are in for a treat. I promise you, we will watch it.”  

 

Yixing isn’t sure who Legolas is, or what Lord of the Rings is, but the way Baekhyun is smiling at him tells the young elf that he’ll enjoy it. Probably. 

 

-

 

When anyone asks about Yixing as they stroll around campus, Baekhyun always laughs loudly and diverts the topic. He takes to doing this after Yixing tells his classmate Kim Joonmyun that his kingdom is at war and he needs to stay in this world a while. Joonmyun, bless his heart, looks genuinely concerned. When Joonmyun presses for details, Baekhyun figures that he needs to protect his newfound elven friend’s secret, and turns the conversation towards his cute and snarky boyfriend Kim Jongdae instead. 

 

Joonmyun blushes appropriately and Baekhyun considers this a potential crisis averted. 

 

Of course, this tactic only works because Baekhyun is enough of a whirlwind speaker to get away with this. 

 

When Joonmyun leaves to go to his own class, Baekhyun only has five minutes to get to his next class. “Maybe we don’t need to mention the fact that you’re from another world to everyone we meet, huh?” Yixing agrees easily, even if Kim Joonmyun looks perfectly trustworthy and helpful. When Yixing tells Baekhyun this, Baekhyun concurs- which is the problem. “Exactly, Yixing. Joonmyun is so helpful that you would probably end up on the front page of the school newspaper with a gofundme petition by the end of this week.” 

 

-

 

On Monday’s and Wednesday’s, Baekhyun only has two classes. Really, Yixing could not have picked a better day to land in this world. If Yixing were to drop in, say, on Tuesday, he would have to wait  _ages_  for Baekhyun to be done with all four of his classes. But since it is Monday, both he and Yixing are walking back to Baekhyun’s apartment in good time. Baekhyun is actually pretty glad he didn’t decide to take his car today. If Yixing could hack away at an elevator, who knows what he would do to his precious car. 

 

It is brought to attention that Yixing has no choice but to follow Baekhyun to his apartment when Baekhyun states that he’s going home now and that Yixing should too in a last ditch effort to test the elf’s story. Yixing merely states, “I cannot return home and I have no home here.” 

 

Baekhyun takes five long seconds to stare at the openly honest look on Yixing’s face before he gives in and starts walking. He is lucky enough to live by himself in an apartment near the campus. The fifteen minute trek back is relatively uneventful, save for when someone thinks Yixing is a cosplayer and tries to take a picture with him for five dollars. Baekhyun almost accepts the offer- the only reason he doesn’t is because he doesn’t want to pimp out his new friend without permission. “You need new clothes,” Baekhyun tuts as he unlocks his front door and walks in. 

 

It says a lot about Baekhyun as a person, the way he is taking this whole “Yixing, elf from another dimension” thing in stride. He has no reason to doubt Yixing, so he does not. Also, the ears. The elven ears definitely helped Yixing’s case. 

 

“Why is that, Byun Baekhyun?” Yixing fiddles with his tailored armor and clothes, unsure of why he would need to remove clothing that have been tailored for maximum comfort and protection. 

 

“You stand out too much,” Baekhyun says, his tone sounding very “matter of fact”. Because, really. Yixing does. Even with different clothes, Baekhyun thinks Yixing is still going to stand out. Dastardly good looks and what not. However, this does not stop him from rummaging through his drawers to find temporary outfits. Baekhyun gathers all the clothes he thinks will fit and drops them in a pile next to Yixing. “Alright, off with your clothes.” 

 

Wow. that sounded less blatantly suggestive in his head. 

 

One of Yixing’s very first lessons as a child was that it was very rude to not honor another’s traditions. He assesses Baekhyun’s clothes with an open mind, even if it also feels like opening him for attack. “I feel so naked,” Yixing sighs, heaving off his breastplate. A warrior’s armor is his clothing of choice. However, Yixing does recognize that he has to follow the customs of this world. As thinly made and unprotected as they are. 

 

“I’ll show you naked,” Baekhyun says, automatically, because that is the type of person he is. “I mean- haha?” He laughs, just to laugh. 

 

Yixing just smiles in response, dimpled and pretty, as he starts to take off the rest of his clothes, clearly not understanding that words should never leave Baekhyun’s mouth. All Baekhyun can do is nervously laugh again.

 

-

 

All of Baekhyun’s clothes are just a tad too small on Yixing.  Not very much so, but enough to be noticeable to Baekhyun, the owner of said clothes. 

 

This is super frustrating, as all of his clothes look tight on Yixing in all the right places. Yixing is a little taller and more built, filling out the clothes in different ways. Like, wow, Yixing’s thighs in those jeans. Wow. With a consoling sniff, Baekhyun makes himself feel better by figuring that his ass is just as great as Yixing’s. “Wow. You are one fit elf.”

 

Yixing nods. “I try.” He is proud of his body, mostly because it has never failed him in battle. Of course, years of training did help. 

 

Baekhyun feels his throat go dry as Yixing decides to take off the current shirt he is wearing to try on another one. He needs help. Like, spiritually, or something. Someone save his soul. 

 

-

 

Many hours later, with Yixing in the loosest shirt and pants Baekhyun owns, they run into their next problem. Dinner had surprisingly gone without a hitch. Baekhyun is super smug when he finds out that not even elves will turn down cup noodles. Instead, their nightly predicament goes like this. “Shit, where do you want to sleep?”

 

Baekhyun tentatively offers to share his bed, but Yixing immediately gasps. “Byun Baekhyun, I could not possibly take your bed from you.” 

 

“You won’t be taking my bed from me,” Baekhyun assures. “I’ll definitely still be in it.” Wow. Words, Byun Baekhyun. Think before you use them. 

 

But Yixing is adamant that he will be fine wherever he sleeps, as long as it is not inconveniencing Baekhyun. Baekhyun squints back at Yixing, mildly charmed, before he goes to get the spare blankets and pillows. He does not insist that Yixing share a bed with him, if only so he doesn’t say anything dumb.

 

Yixing takes the couch in the living room. 

 

-

 

That first night, when Baekhyun has long since gone to sleep, Yixing stays awake to fiddle with the necklace his mother has entrusted with him. It is shaped like a locket, so he assumes it is meant to be opened.

 

Except he can’t open it, no matter what he tries. He twists it, tries to pop it open, even tries to sweet talk it. Nothing works. 

 

Figures. 

 

But he holds it close to him anyway, because the necklace is his only true connection to a home faraway and a family he misses already. He makes a promise to himself to wear it from this day forward. 

 

It takes him many hours to fall asleep on the foreign, kind of lumpy, worn down couch. It is a far cry from what Yixing is used to, but beggars truly cannot be choosers. His last thought before he falls asleep is how thankful he is to have run into Byun Baekhyun. 

 

-

 

After three days of cohabitating with an elf from another world, Baekhyun realizes with increasing horror that his new roommate rises with the sun. 

 

Now, Yixing doesn’t mean to, but having someone move around in a once single-person apartment rouses Baekhyun from sleep in a way that an alarm clock never could. 

 

“What do you want for breakfast?” Baekhyun asks, grumpy but still hospitable. It is barely seven in the morning and Baekhyun doesn’t have class for a couple more hours. It was hard to stay sleeping though, once Yixing found the miracle that is television and a remote. Nothing like a good “Get in the car, loser. We’re going shopping!” blasting from his surround sound to get a boy up. Ah, good ol’ Regina George. 

 

Baekhyun tumbles out of his room to see a sheepish Yixing holding onto the remote. He knows he told Yixing to turn on the weird box thing when he gets bored, but he didn’t think it would be at 7 AM. Or that there would be a Mean Girls rerun. 

 

Well. Since he is up already, Baekhyun might as well feed his new charge. Yixing is not picky with food from this world, so Baekhyun grabs the eggs and bacon and gets to work.

 

“Are you usually not up at this time?” Yixing asks, still polite, as Baekhyun scrambles some eggs. Everyone in his castle always wakes up at the first sign of the sun, to make the most of the day. Yixing finds it a little strange that the same rules do not apply here. 

 

“Not if I don’t have to be,” Baekhyun admits. “Do you want tea or coffee?”

 

Yixing picks tea, if only because he is not too familiar with coffee. Or familiar at all, really. Baekhyun assures him that coffee is essentially holy water, but Yixing has his reservations. Baekhyun grabs his electric water boiler, fills it appropriately, and flips on the switch as he grabs a tea bag and the coffee strainer. 

 

Baekhyun needs his regular dosage of his own version of holy water, after all.

 

Yixing watches the water boiler with open awe and adoration. Normally, a fire would have to be cast or made. The little device seems so powerful, especially after Yixing hears the beginning bubbles of boiling water not long after Baekhyun flips the switch. “Wow,” he says, softly. 

 

Baekhyun sighs and thinks that he needs a boy to look at him like how Yixing looks at the water boiler.

 

Two plates of eggs and bacon, a cup of tea, and a cup of coffee are all set up on Baekhyun’s table in record time. Yixing had watched with quiet fascination as the frying pan and water boiler did their modern day magic. 

 

Baekhyun yawns as he eats, which makes Yixing feel guilty immediately. “I won’t wake you up when I wake up,” Yixing promises. No more weird box thing in the mornings, he tells himself sternly. Baekhyun smiles gratefully at the repentant look on Yixing’s face. 

 

Yixing’s not so bad, Baekhyun thinks.

 

Over tea and coffee, Baekhyun decides to learn more about the Yixing who isn’t so bad. “Hey, how old are you anyway?” 

 

“67,” Yixing replies without missing a beat, voice melodious and soft. 

 

Baekhyun almost screeches. “Really?” 

 

In the next moment, Yixing is laughing almost uncontrollably, cute dimple on full display. Baekhyun wants to press his finger into the indent or to maybe coo at the older (?) man in front of him. 

 

“No, no, of course not,” Yixing says in between his giggles. Baekhyun’s shocked facial expression is really too funny.  “I’m only 26.” 

 

Oh. Okay. So still older. But a one year age gap sounds infinitely better than one that spans 42 years. Not that Baekhyun has a reason to be thinking about their age gap or anything. 

 

-

 

Park Chanyeol is Baekhyun’s childhood best friend. They’ve gone to middle school together, and high school, and now college. He is tall, sunshine personified, and quite frankly, kind of dumb when Do Kyungsoo is involved. Which is a lot of the time, because Do Kyungsoo is his best friend/not boyfriend. Things are complicated. 

 

When Baekhyun cancels on his and Chanyeol’s weekly tradition of mindless Saturday night video games, Chanyeol is easily offended. “It’s not like you have anything better to do, Baek,” Chanyeol snorts.

 

“Excuse you,” Baekhyun sasses back. “I do have someone better to do.” Wait. “Something,” he corrects. He has to settle Yixing in. He has to make a spare key for Yixing, has to teach him maps and public transportation, has to make sure that Yixing will be fine in this world when Baekhyun is not around. That’s what he meant to say.

 

That sounded better in his head, he swears. 

 

Chanyeol latches onto Baekhyun’s mistake immediately, like the true friend he is. “ _Someone_?” He yells. “Baek, you met someone? You’re cancelling on me to ~do~ someone?” Chanyeol is absolutely delighted. “This changes everything.”

 

“No- that’s not,” Baekhyun lets out a disgruntled noise. To tell Chanyeol the truth and get laughed at or to lie and have Chanyeol think that Yixing is his mysterious new bae? 

 

Baekhyun weighs his options carefully. Chanyeol is, essentially harmless. Mildly annoying, yes. But harmless. He would probably believe Yixing too. And has he mentioned that he would be completely annoying about the mysterious bae? 

 

The choice is clear. Baekhyun sighs and tells Chanyeol about how Yixing is an elf from another world who has come here in hopes of survival because his kingdom is currently at war. Oh, and he’s staying on Baekhyun’s couch. 

 

There is silence for just a second. And then Chanyeol laughs at Baekhyun like he is a dumb fuck. But that’s fine. Understandable, even. Baekhyun would laugh at Chanyeol like he was a dumb fuck too if he gave the same story- prior to Yixing, that is. 

 

After his best friend is done laughing, he demands to meet Yixing. He informs Baekhyun that he will be at his apartment in twenty minutes and then promptly hangs up. 

 

Baekhyun is not surprised at the quick turn of events, after being friends with Chanyeol for more than a decade. Also, Chanyeol knows how to get into his apartment, so this works out better than an accidental meeting. 

 

He essentially sacrifices Yixing to Chanyeol twenty minutes later. Chanyeol opens the door without knocking, using the spare key given to him by best friend benefits. He sidesteps Baekhyun and makes a beeline for Yixing immediately. “Hi, I’m Park Chanyeol!”

 

Luckily for Yixing, in those twenty minutes it took Chanyeol to drive over, Baekhyun had given Yixing a crash course on his best friend. Yixing smiles back warmly because any friend of his savior’s is a friend of his. “I’m Zhang Yixing, here from another world.” 

 

“For real?” Chanyeol blurts out, excited. Yixing is very serious when he confirms the affirmative. “Woaaah. Can I see your ears? Baek mentioned some elf ears?”

 

Ah. This seems increasingly familiar. Yixing pulls back the hair that usually covers his ears and Chanyeol gasps. 

 

“Can I touch them?” Chanyeol asks, in soft awe.

 

There it is. 

 

Minutes later, when Chanyeol and Baekhyun are both jabbering about how cool it is that Yixing is an elf and that his ears are just as cool and Yixing just seems very cool, Yixing stands away to recover from Chanyeol’s tugging of them.

 

“I see why you two are best friends,” Yixing winces, rubbing at his mistreated ears. 

 

Neither Baekhyun or Chanyeol reply, since they’re too busy talking about how cool Yixing is.

 

**-**

 

Life for Byun Baekhyun continues on, even with the addition of otherworldly Zhang Yixing. Baekhyun is still stressed, still kind of broke, and still doesn’t really know what to do with his life- but hey, at least he has made a new friend.

 

A new friend that is currently distracting him from studying for his upcoming midterm. It is next week, but Baekhyun has always stressed out a little extra over his research methods class. He is twirling a pen in mild frustration when Yixing decides to distract him. 

 

“Byun Baekhyun,” Yixing calls out. Baekhyun swivels around in his chair in the direction of Yixing’s voice, not in the mood. He’s formulating how to inform Yixing that Baekhyun does not have time to entertain him right now but- 

 

Yixing is holding up his clock, situated on the couch that he has been sleeping on. “What is this ticking device?” An honest question from elven Yixing. Baekhyun can’t find it in himself to get mad at him. Yixing blinks at him, hopeful for an answer, while Baekhyun sighs. Truthfully, even though it has been a couple days since Yixing’s arrival, Baekhyun hasn’t had much time to show him around. The least he can do is answer a simple question.

 

Baekhyun needed a break anyway. “It is a clock that tells the time,” he says, the simplest answer he could think of. 

 

Yixing’s brows furrow in mild confusion. “Why don’t you just look at the sun?” 

 

Uhm. Good question. Baekhyun just laughs, with the previous tension in his shoulders from studying fading. “It doesn’t work that way here, I guess. We’re all about using technology.” 

 

Yixing hums thoughtfully, fiddling with the analog clock in his hands. “So just follow the numbers?”

 

Baekhyun pauses. “You know numbers?”

 

Yixing rolls his eyes. “Byun Baekhyun, I was not born yesterday.” 

 

Right. It is hard to pinpoint what Yixing is familiar with and what he isn’t, but Baekhyun continues to take the whole situation in stride. All he does is laugh in good natured apology. Yixing accepts with his own good natured smile. Well, while they’re at it. “Is there anything else you want to know?”

 

Yixing scans the room, trying not to point at everything at once. “What’s this?” he asks. Baekhyun dutifully follows the finger and lands on the karaoke machine. Baekhyun almost falls out of his chair in excitement. 

 

“You can sing songs on it. It gives the music and the lyrics but the voice is all you and your homies,” Baekhyun explains, chiming that a noraebang is always fun with friends. 

 

Huh. “You sing?” Actually, Yixing could easily picture Baekhyun performing in the royal court, with his gregarious smile and chatty personality. 

 

“Like a songbird,” Baekhyun preens, puffing out his chest.

 

Yixing can’t help the giggle that escapes him. Byun Baekhyun is quite possibly the cutest songbird he has had the pleasure of meeting. 

 

Hours pass like this, with Baekhyun explaining all the technological knick knacks he has in the living room to the best of his abilities.

 

“Oh shit,” Baekhyun curses dashing into his room to get ready for bed. Studying can wait until tomorrow. He feels better about it already though, even without studying today. The exam seems a little less daunting, somehow. “I have to be up at nine o’clock tomorrow.”

 

Yixing looks thoughtfully at the clock still in his hands. “I see.” 

 

-

 

Yixing, in the several days that he has spent with Byun Baekhyun, has rarely entered said savior’s room. He usually keeps himself occupied with the knick knacks in the living room, but on this morning, he has a mission. “Byun Baekhyun.” Yixing opens the door with one hand, the other, holding the clock.

 

No response.

 

“Byun Baekhyun,” he tries again, walking closer to the bed. “Wake up,” Yixing pokes at him. “It’s nine o’clock.” He shakes the clock, as if to emphasize the importance. 

 

Baekhyun groans. Turns over in bed. And then shoots the fuck up, tossing his blanket off in Yixing’s general direction. Yixing dodges the bedding with a graceful sidestep. “Am I late?”

 

Yixing is calm and serene as he reiterates, “It is now nine o’clock.” 

 

Oh. Baekhyun notices the alarm clock in Yixing’s hands and his sleep addled brain finally decides to fully wake up. “Oh man, Yixing, you’re the best.” He scrambles out of bed to make coffee (for himself) and tea (for Yixing). He does this for two reasons. One, he needs the caffeine. Two, Yixing still looks at the water boiler like it is the light of his life. 

 

Baekhyun is on time for class that day.

 

-

 

Yixing takes to waking Baekhyun up for class each day. For whatever reason. The elf works better than any clock Baekhyun has ever tried.

 

Weeks pass like this, but Baekhyun does nothing to question it.

 

-

 

Nothing frustrates Baekhyun like not understanding something. And boy, does he not understand statistics. He sits at his desk and tries to understand why this formula is used here instead of there, but the information isn’t connecting. He breathes out heavily, as if he could will all of this to make sense. 

 

He needs to do well in this class. He knows that much. How come his brain doesn’t understand that? 

 

This is how Yixing finds Baekhyun, after returning from a stroll. He is not kept captive by any means. When Baekhyun is out, Yixing typically goes out too- to places of nature. He usually returns feeling calm- which is exactly the opposite of what Baekhyun currently looks like. Baekhyun is slumped against his desk, looking very much like he has given up on life. “Byun Baekhyun, are you okay?” Yixing shuffles over quickly and wonders how good his healing magic is in this world.

 

“Lay me down to rest.” Baekhyun’s voice, muffled by his face being smashed into his desk, sounds pathetically sad. “Drop me out of school.”

 

Yixing pauses. Baekhyun gets up for school most days of the week, why would he want to drop it? How does one even drop school? “Would you like me to take you to bed?”

 

It is Baekhyun’s turn to pause. Wow, how he wouldn’t mind those words said in a different context. Slowly, he raises his head to pout at Yixing. “I’m going to fail my exam.” 

 

“I’m sure you will be fine,” Yixing says, because he is an optimist, even if he doesn’t understand what exam could be so dire. 

 

“I will not be,” Baekhyun corrects. “Because I don’t understand any of this!” Baekhyun points furiously at the innocent paper on his desk. Yixing looks to be polite.

 

Oh. “I’ve studied this.”

 

Another pause, more incredulous this time. “You have?”

 

“It is customary for all future kings to learn,” Yixing shrugs, taking the pen out of Baekhyun’s hands and solving the equation that Baekhyun has been staring at for the past ten minutes. Yixing thinks back to all the arithmetic classes he had been subjected to as a member of the royal family; he is happy that his lessons have finally come in handy for something. He is happy to help Byun Baekhyun in any way he can. 

 

Baekhyun squints at him in disbelief. Again, he is reminded of how hard it is to tell what Yixing knows and what he doesn’t. He looks at the solved answer and then turns to look at Yixing again. “You’re a prince?” Because this is the important information now, for some reason. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

“It was not necessary information,” Yixing shrugs. Actually, it just kind of slipped his mind. Oops. “But yes. I am destined to inherit the crown.” 

 

Baekhyun looks like someone just revealed to him the secrets of the universe. “You know what, that suddenly explains a lot.” 

 

“How so?”

 

“The,” Baekhyun gestures wildly to Yixing’s general person. “Regality? Stunning good looks? Transportation to a new world?” Yixing has all the makings of a fantasy hero. 

 

All Yixing heard were compliments, which makes him a little bashful. “Thank you.” 

 

Baekhyun grins, wolfish and successfully distracted. “Tell me more about your world?”

 

Yixing indulges, honored and excited to talk about his homeland. He speaks of hunting traditions and classes he has had to take. He brings up Luhan once more, and several other close friends. He even talks about his upbringing a little bit, alongside tidbits of info on the upcoming war. To Baekhyun, listening to Yixing speak is infinitely more exciting than statistics. 

 

Later, when Yixing leaves to his own devices so that Baekhyun can get back to studying, he does not leave without helpfully explaining some of the harder problems. Yixing makes himself scarce when he figures that Baekhyun can do this on his own. 

 

Baekhyun can’t help but sigh. “Of course he’s a prince,” he mutters. 

 

But alas. He does not have time to swoon over any prince from another world, Yixing or not. Baekhyun hits the books and tries not to stress cry.

 

-

 

When they finally get around to watching Lord of the Rings, Yixing is much less impressed at Legolas than Baekhyun thought he would be.

 

“Behold, the iconic elven archer!” Baekhyun flails at the sight of Orlando Bloom in all his white hair, elven glory. Although- as Baekhyun stares at Yixing for any reaction, Baekhyun figures that he has another iconic elf in his life right now.

 

Yixing’s serene, unmoved face is rather anticlimactic. “What makes him iconic?” 

 

Baekhyun is not sure if he is fit to explain all the majesty and beauty that is embodied in Legolas. “He’s like. You know.  _The_ elven archer. When someone thinks of an archer who is an elf, they think of my man Legolas.” Nailed it. 

 

“Luhan would disagree,” Yixing points out. 

 

Oho, does Baekhyun sense a friendly debate? “Why Luhan?” 

 

“My best friend is the best archer in the kingdom,” Yixing brags. Well, Baekhyun is sure he is bragging, but bragging on Yixing’s face looks more like “proud dad” instead of “excessively arrogant”. Is this what a humble brag is? 

 

Baekhyun nods along. “But can he beat Legolas?” 

 

Yixing gasps, affronted, as they both sit there and watch the entire Lords of the Ring’s trilogy on Baekhyun’s ratty couch. They debate about the pros and cons of both Legolas and Luhan over popcorn and tea. 

 

It would feel more like a date if Yixing didn’t essentially live on this couch. But the movie night kind of gives Baekhyun butterflies anyway- which is totally rude and uncalled for. 

 

Well. There’s no harm in a teensy little crush on a gorgeously handsome elven prince, is there?

 

He consoles himself with this as he flops down on the couch, splayed across Yixing’s lap. Yixing pets his hair affectionately. 

 

No harm done. 

 

-

 

For the last couple years, Baekhyun has been working towards graduation. It is the thing that every college student wants. For him, all he wants this coming winter is to walk across that stage with his graduating class, diploma in hand. 

 

But his last semester is proving to be a trying time for him. He tells Yixing this when they’re sitting outside for a change of scenery, the stress of his emotions proving too much to keep inside. 

 

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing with my life,” Baekhyun confesses. “I’m supposed to have it figured out by now but I just- don’t.” Baekhyun’s only goal has been to graduate and get a degree. As to what comes after? Baekhyun’s not too sure yet. 

 

But he graduates in a few short months and he feels impending doom at the mere thought of the future. 

 

Yixing sits down next to Baekhyun and places a soothing hand on his head. “I commend you, Byun Baekhyun.” Yixing has never gone to college, but given that he has been living with Baekhyun for the past couple weeks, he has a general gist. “I really do.” 

 

“For my completely unplanned future?” Baekhyun whimpers, even as he leans into the touch. 

 

“My future was handed to me,” Yixing admits. “So I admire those who choose their own paths.” He must return home to his future, soon. But for now, he focuses on the boy next to him. While he does not despise his duty-bound lineage, he finds that there is a lot of honor in going after what one wants. He knows, from how much Baekhyun speaks, that he looks forward to this momentous occasion called graduation. Yixing knows Baekhyun works very hard towards it, keeps to a strict schedule because of it, will spend almost all of his free time studying for it. How could that be anything but commendable? “Also, I have a very good feeling that you will do fine in whatever you decide to pursue.” 

 

When Yixing says it, it sounds a little more believable. But still, some healthy skepticism and anxiety remains. “How do you know that?” Baekhyun asks, petulant. 

 

Hmm, how to explain this. “You work very hard, Byun Baekhyun. That is clear to see. And your hard work is what makes the light in you shine so bright.” Baekhyun is looking at him in blatant confusion. Alrighty. Yixing will try again. “The time I have spent with you is short, admittedly, but anyone could tell that your heart is in the right place. I trust that will guide you well in the future.” 

 

The look of confusion slowly fades from Baekhyun’s face as he realizes that Yixing is trying to reassure and console him. “Thanks, Yixing,” Baekhyun mumbles, grateful for the encouragement and emotional support.

 

Yixing smiles. “You are most very welcome, Byun Baekhyun.” 

 

-

 

Days pass since Baekhyun and Yixing’s conversation about the future, and Baekhyun is contemplating on how they should both go out more, when he receives a text message from Chanyeol. A quick check informs Baekhyun that it is a link to a dog video. Of course it is a dog video. 

 

Baekhyun goes to share it with Yixing, because why not. 

 

Yixing sighs as he watches the clip. They’re both sitting on the couch, with Baekhyun’s phone propped up for optimal funny videos. “I have a canine companion back home,” he shares. He sighs again as he watches the little pup run in circles. 

 

The mood drops drastically. Baekhyun is about to put up another funny video, this time featuring kittens, but registers the expression on Yixing’s face. 

 

Yixing looks  _lonely_ and Baekhyun realizes that the elven prince is homesick. 

 

And he can’t have that. 

 

-

 

Like this, Baekhyun thinks bringing Chanyeol and his dog over is a wonderful idea. If Yixing can make him feel a little less stressed out about graduation, then Baekhyun can make Yixing a little less homesick. 

 

In theory, anyway.

 

Chanyeol is all too willing to oblige, since he is super fond of Yixing. Like, it’s not every day someone gets to bring their dog over to meet someone from another world? Let alone someone as cool as Yixing?

 

So of course he brings over his dog the next free day they have. Oh, and Kyungsoo, his ~not boyfriend~ too.

 

“Do Kyungsoo,” is what he introduces himself as. Yixing marvels at the apparent difference in Kyungsoo’s character to Chanyeol’s. And height. Yixing loves a cute height difference. Wow. 

 

Chanyeol looks just as excited as his pup when he says, “His name is Toben!!”

 

“As in Beethoven,” Kyungsoo adds. He looks exasperated but fond as Chanyeol unlatches Toben’s leash and lets him run around. 

 

Kind of a weird name, but whatever. Yixing will not question it. He crouches down and holds his hands out for the customary smell check. 

 

Yixing passes. Beethoven bounds up to him and Yixing essentially falls in love with the little black dog. 

 

Baekhyun wonders why he didn’t ask Chanyeol to bring his dog over sooner, since Yixing looks so damn happy. He almost wants to scold himself for not realizing Yixing would of course be homesick- but of course, Baekhyun is doing his best to make amends. 

 

“So what kind of dog do you have, Yixing?” Kyungsoo asks, taking out the bag of prepared dog treats. As much as Kyungsoo likes to pretend that he is not, he is totally co-parenting this dog with Chanyeol. 

 

Yixing hums. “Noble and intelligent.”

 

Chanyeol nods. “Are we talking chihuahua?” he asks, as he google searches for an appropriate image to verify with Yixing. 

 

“That’s the breed you think of when you hear noble and intelligent?” This is Kyungsoo. 

 

“Are you knocking on chihuahuas?” Chanyeol asks, ready for Kyungsoo to catch some hands. To which Kyungsoo would probably beat him into playful submission, but whatever. They’re into that.

 

“Oh, the breed?” Yixing brightens. He gets it. “Canis lupis!” 

 

Everyone pauses, except for Yixing, because he is still petting Toben. Chanyeol, Baekhyun, and Kyungsoo all share a look. It is Kyungsoo who asks. “As in, wolf?” 

 

“Yes,” Yixing confirms.

 

Another pause.

 

Well. 

 

“Definitely not a chihuahua,” Chanyeol laughs. 

 

It makes sense for Yixing to have a wolf, Baekhyun supposes. Being an elven prince, and all. Anything goes. Or something like that. 

 

As Baekhyun and Chanyeol discuss canine breeds- now including their wolf brethren, Yixing takes this time to look at Kyungsoo. 

 

Kyungsoo is small- even shorter than Baekhyun. But he holds himself with a dignified air and a calm facade. Yixing would compare him to an immediately trustworthy soldier. As such, words leave his mouth before he can stop them. “Do Kyungsoo, are you perhaps a warrior?”

 

There’s a moment of silence as everyone stares at Yixing- until both Chanyeol and Baekhyun break into obnoxious, breathless laughter over mental images of Kyungsoo decked out in clunky armor and a wooden sword.

 

Kyungsoo, right before showcasing his warrior spirit by putting Chanyeol into a headlock, turns to Yixing and says, “I like you.” 

 

Yixing beams, grateful for the acceptance from Baekhyun’s friends, with the smile lighting up his whole face. 

 

Baekhyun pretends like he still finds the whole thing hilarious so that he can fondly stare at Yixing’s dimple. He also pretends like he’s just breathless from laughing.

 

In this moment, Baekhyun figures out that- shit, his tiny crush has shifted into very sincere feelings for an elven prince from another world.

 

-

 

Nothing particularly changes after Baekhyun realizes his feelings for Yixing. After all, he is comfortable where he is.

 

Especially when his days go something a little like this. 

 

“Byun Baekhyun,” Yixing calls out. Baekhyun barely grumbles. “It is 9 o’clock.” Yixing leisurely sits on the side of Baekhyun’s bed, nursing a cup of tea. He has long since learned how to work the water boiling device, which is something the young prince is very proud of. Yixing now makes both himself and Baekhyun their morning drinks. 

 

It barely takes any prodding before Baekhyun is up and ready to start his day. 

 

Baekhyun still commandeers breakfast. Through the weeks, they have settled into this routine. Yixing wakes up, makes himself tea and coffee for Baekhyun, and then goes to wake Baekhyun up. Baekhyun wakes up, makes breakfast, and gets ready for class. Yixing washes the dishes (a lesson hard learned, thank you very much), Baekhyun leaves for class, and Yixing leaves not long after to explore. He always comes home around the time Baekhyun is expected to return. They have dinner, bond, talk about their day. Sleep. And then the next day repeats.

 

The whole thing is rather domestic and admittedly a little heartwarming.

 

Sure, Baekhyun blushes a little bit about the domestic bliss he has with Yixing now that he knows he has feelings for the elf, but he sure as hell isn’t going to do anything that could ruin it.

 

-

 

Baekhyun comes to a startling realization one day as he one of his professor's stops him in the hall and commends him on his recent timeliness. Belatedly, Baekhyun realizes that he hasn’t overslept since Yixing’s arrival. 

 

Huh. Go figure.

 

-

 

Yixing is not prone to nightmares. In fact, he considers himself a rather well adjusted individual, given the circumstances. 

 

But that does not mean he is never susceptible to a nightly terror or two.

 

On one cold night in September, Yixing feels hunted. 

 

He’s back in the Forbidden Forest, with the impending fire inching closer to him every second. He feels horror creep up into his spine, leaving him immobile and defenseless. No matter how much he tries to move, he is frozen, only able to watch as the fire grows and destroys everything in its wake- including himself. 

 

The fire starts licking at his boots, burning up his legs, and Yixing is screaming in both pain and terror. Higher, higher, higher the fire goes, up and up and up, he’s screaming his voice hoarse and bloody, and then- 

 

Yixing falls off the couch with a dramatic thud, still flailing in his blankets. 

 

Baekhyun is typically a pretty heavy sleeper- and one that never willingly wants to leave his bed- but the moment he hears the thud from the living room, something tells him to get the fuck up. He moves quickly, throwing his door open, and is greeted with the sight of a terrified Yixing fighting his bedding. Baekhyun sure as hell recognizes a nightmare when he sees one. 

 

He runs over immediately to free Yixing from the blankets, tugging until Yixing realizes Baekhyun’s presence. 

 

“Byun Baekhyun,” Yixing gasps out.

 

“I’m here, I’m here,” Baekhyun assures, tossing the blanket aside and propping the elven prince up, holding him close. Baekhyun holds onto Yixing until he stops shaking. They sit pressed together on the floor, just holding each other, until they both fall asleep again. This time, with no nightmares.

 

Again, Yixing is so, so grateful to have met Byun Baekhyun. 

 

-

 

Yixing wakes up cuddled in Baekhyun’s embrace. He feels warm, protected, and with an achy back from the awkward sleeping position. He doesn’t want to leave this safe feeling, but he must, for the sake of his back. Yixing disentangles himself from Baekhyun as gently as he can, making sure not to wake the other boy up. He tries to maneuver Baekhyun into a more comfortable sleeping position, but Yixing can already tell that Baekhyun’s neck will be sore no matter what he does. 

 

Yixing finds himself smiling down at the still sleeping Byun Baekhyun, feeling grateful and a little bit in love. 

 

-

 

Baekhyun wakes up with a crick in his neck. In the living room. Right next to the couch. 

 

The memories of holding Yixing until they both fell asleep return slowly, and then all at once. Baekhyun’s face feels like it is on fire.

 

“Good morning, Byun Baekhyun,” Yixing calls out from the kitchen table, already sipping on some tea.

 

Baekhyun’s face is still on fire, but he replies back with an automatic, “Mornin’, Yixing.” Something strikes in him, at that moment, about Yixing. He promptly calls Yixing out on it. “You still call me Byun Baekhyun, even though I call you just Yixing.” Baekhyun isn’t sure why it comes out as an accusation, but it definitely does. 

 

“Yes, I do,” Yixing agrees. “Because that is your name.”

 

“Well, yes,” Baekhyun frowns. Because it is. 

 

Yixing frowns back. “Is that not your name?” Yixing is a little horrified to find out that he could have been calling his closest ally in this strange world the wrong thing this whole time. 

 

Baekhyun would find the panicked look on Yixing’s face cute if he wasn’t trying to make a point. “It is, but just Baekhyun works too.” Actually, no, he still finds Yixing’s panicked face cute. 

 

Yixing worries his bottom lip immediately. “Isn’t that too informal?” He doesn’t mind being called by his own first name here, just because he considers it a custom of theirs. He still tries to keep his own customs from home as much as he can though. 

 

Now that Baekhyun thinks about it, Yixing calls everyone by full name, doesn’t he? Baekhyun shrugs. He doesn’t do well with formal anyway. “No, it’s fine. We’re friends anyway.”

 

“Friends?” Yixing echoes, like the idea is foreign.

 

It is Baekhyun’s turn to look a little concerned. “Is everyone back in your world called by their full names all the time?”

 

“We only use first namesake with close kin or mates,” Yixing shrugs. That’s just the way things worked back home. 

 

“You call Luhan by just first name,” Baekhyun points out.

 

“He has been my friend since we were just tiny elves, of course he is close kin,” Yixing shrugs again. 

 

Baekhyun hums thoughtfully in response. 

 

Well then. 

 

-

 

Baekhyun takes it upon himself to cause a shift in the relationship. 

 

“Byun Baekhyun, your papers,” Yixing calls out.

 

Baekhyun has essentially been ignoring him all morning, not having said one word to him. 

 

“Byun Baekhyun,” Yixing tries again. Why is he ignoring him? Yixing doesn’t understand. Doesn’t he want his papers? In fact, Yixing knows these papers are important. Baekhyun had spent a good portion of last night complaining this end-of-the-semester research paper.

 

In any case, the whole one-sided dialogue is baffling, to be honest. Usually it is Baekhyun that just keeps talking. “Byun Baekhyun?” he tries again. 

 

What has changed, Yixing wonders. They were fine just yesterday- unless they weren’t and Yixing could not tell? He worries, because his mother has called him slow on occasion. 

 

What could it be? They had a regular day, and even got to talk about some of the customs of his people- 

 

Customs of his people. Namesakes. 

 

Oh. 

 

“Baekhyun?” Yixing calls out hesitantly. What if this wasn’t what Baekhyun wanted? 

 

“There we go!” Baekhyun swivels around, grin bright and boxy. He has never felt so satisfied at someone calling him just by his first name. 

 

Yixing laughs because it all makes sense. He hands Baekhyun’s papers over, swatting the younger boy in the process. “Are we close kin now?” 

 

“More like future mates,” Baekhyun mumbles, holding his papers up to his face to muffle his words further. 

 

“What was that?”

 

If Yixing actually hears him or if Baekhyun responds “Nothing!” suspiciously, Yixing doesn’t call him out on it. 

 

All is well. 

 

-

 

“Yixing?” Baekhyun calls out. 

 

“Yes, Baekhyun?” 

 

Baekhyun doesn’t think he’ll ever get bored of Yixing saying his name. “Wanna go somewhere with Chanyeol and Kyungsoo?”

 

Yixing blinks. 

 

Half an hour later, they’re sitting outside of a milk tea establishment as they wait for Chanyeol and Kyungsoo to arrive. Rose milk tea for Baekhyun and roasted green tea for Yixing. 

 

Yixing’s ears twitch in recognition. He hears Chanyeol and Kyungsoo coming before he actually sees them. He instinctively turns to the sound of what is undoubtedly Chanyeol’s booming laughter. Yixing had wanted to ask this when they first met, but figured it was too impolite of a question for a first meeting. But, now that they’ve already met- “Are they lovers?” he asks, as he sees Chanyeol struggling to walk upright because he’s still laughing too hard and Kyungsoo rolling his eyes but with outstretched hands to catch Chanyeol just in case he falls. 

 

Baekhyun laughs so hard he almost spits out his rose milk tea. “Isn’t that the million dollar question?”

 

“Is a million dollars a lot?” Yixing asks. 

 

Baekhyun pauses. Processes.

 

And then just fucking laughs because- fuck, Yixing looks cute when he’s clueless. 

 

He is so far gone for this elven prince. 

 

Yixing laughs, just because Baekhyun is laughing. A laughing Baekhyun is a cute Baekhyun.

 

-

 

Some time near the end of September, Baekhyun finds himself huffing over Kyungsoo’s cuteness. Or more specifically, Kyungsoo’s cuteness that comes out in regards to Chanyeol. “Yixing, they’re sick, I tell you. Sick.” Baekhyun throws his phone onto the couch in pure protest of said cuteness.

 

“Does someone need to call the doctor?” Yixing asks, already standing up.

 

“No, no,” Baekhyun waves his hand as if to disperse the thought. “Not that kind of sick, no overdose of anything except cuteness.” Baekhyun waits for Yixing to sit down before he continues. “Chanyeol and Kyungsoo are sickeningly cute. Like, can you believe that your Do Kyungsoo the warrior just called to ask what I think Chanyeol would want for his birthday? His birthday isn’t until the end of November! November!!” Baekhyun gestures wildly to prove his point. 

 

“November?” Yixing echoes. 

 

“Yes, Novem- you don’t know what November is, do you?” Baekhyun has seen the clueless look on Yixing’s face enough to know when the elven prince doesn’t understand something. “November is a month in the year. As in, Chanyeol’s birthday is so late in November, Kyungsoo should not be thinking about it in the last week of September.”  

 

“Oh,” Yixing makes a soft noise of understanding before he quickly explains that their is primarily marked by the seasons, but does list a couple months in example. Baekhyun nods along even though he has never heard those words in his life. 

 

It is Baekhyun’s turn to make a noise of understanding. But while they’re on the topic anyway- “So when is your birthday then?”

 

“My day of birth falls in between the hot and cold months.” 

 

That’s. Helpful. 

 

“Okay,” Baekhyun picks up the conversation without batting an eyelash. He picks up a calendar, a pen, and a can-do attitude. “So that means somewhere between August-ish to December-ish, right?” He makes check marks next to the approving months. “Any numbers or other indicators you could potentially provide me with?”

 

Yixing taps on his chin thoughtfully. “The 7th day of Wortmoon,” he supplies. 

 

Baekhyun blinks. “Oookay, got anything else for me?” 

 

Yixing goes on to describe the weather conditions and customs around the time of his birth and Baekhyun just nods along and makes tiny noises of affirmation as he crosses out dates on the calendar. “Oh, All Hallows’ Eve is typically at the end of this month.” 

 

Baekhyun almost drops his pen. “Holy shit, by my possibly wrong calculations, your birthday is next week?” 

 

Yixing agrees readily enough, considering the timeframe of when he left his world and how long he has spent in this one. “Your possibly wrong calculations sounds about right, actually.” The weather certainly fits.

 

Well. There is only one thing left to say. “Holy shit.” 

 

-

 

Baekhyun rounds up Chanyeol and Kyungsoo immediately, citing that since Yixing’s birthday comes before Chanyeol’s, he needs help first.

 

While Kyungsoo readily agrees that Baekhyun does need help, Chanyeol readily agrees to help Baekhyun do something for Yixing’s birthday. 

 

And of course, it’s going to be a surprise. 

 

Because Yixing is too nice to question it when Baekhyun immediately hangs up the phone when Yixing enters the room, or the way Chanyeol giggles suspiciously as he drops by Baekhyun’s apartment to talk about ~class~. Yixing is too pleasantly surprised by the presence of Do Kyungsoo the warrior to question the catalogue he brings over filled with pastries and delights. 

 

So really, Yixing is genuinely surprised to see Chanyeol and Kyungsoo in Baekhyun’s apartment on the night of October 7th. 

 

Chanyeol grins, all teeth and too much excitement. “Hey, there, buddy!”

 

“Hello, Park Chanyeol,” Yixing greets back, confused as to why Chanyeol is running around and turning off all the lights. “What are you doing?”

 

“Creating magic,” is Chanyeol’s quick reply.

 

Yixing would love to sit down and inform Chanyeol how magic is actually created, but the room is dark and the whole atmosphere kind of feels like a trap and-

 

The front door swings open and Baekhyun enters his own apartment carrying a cake, walking slowly so as to not tip over the sweet birthday treat, the candles illuminating his face. 

 

Baekhyun croons a sweet “happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Yixing~, happy birthday to you!” as he holds a pretty, pretty cake in front of Yixing. 

 

Oh. Baekhyun truly does sound like a songbird. Yixing is a little speechless, all things considered. A little breathless, too.

 

“Make a wish!” Chanyeol cheers, blowing hard on the party kazoo. 

 

Yixing is genuinely perplexed. “Why?” Yay, he has regained the ability to speak. 

 

Kyungsoo shrugs, donning a party hat. “You blow out the candles on your birthday cake and then you make a wish. That’s just how the humans do it.” 

 

“What do you usually wish for?” Yixing asks, confused. 

 

“Anything!” Chanyeol is still going hard on the kazoo. Yixing’s elven ears are starting to ring. “You can’t tell anyone what your wish though, so that it will come true.

 

Humans are so weird. “What makes it come true?”

 

Baekhyun, Chanyeol, and Kyungsoo all stare back at Yixing blankly. “Well, anyway,” Baekhyun laughs. “It’s tradition and for the sake of celebrating the day you came into this- well, your world- and being surrounded by people who care about you!”

 

Yixing really needs to talk to the mages of this world. “But what does that have to do with wishes coming true?”

 

“Don’t question the humans,” Baekhyun chides, jokingly. “But if you make a wish, it might just come true~”

 

Something about the way the candle lights are playing off of Baekhyun’s face and how he is smiling so brightly and the fact that he is doing this to celebrate Yixing’s day of birth all mix together to hit the elven prince in the heart. The weight of Yixing’s feelings for Baekhyun hits Yixing softly, as his feelings have had many days to settle in. Serenely, and a little drunk on happiness, Yixing wonders what the marriage customs are for marrying a human.

 

 _I wish for Baekhyun to always smile at me like this._ Yixing blows out all the candles on his first try. 

 

-

 

Days later, when Yixing is still riding off the high of his birthday surprise, he’s fiddling with his locket as he’s settling in for the night.

 

He sleeps with the piece of jewelry every night, as a reminder of home, but hasn’t tried to open it since his first night in Byun Baekhyun’s world. Tonight, however, something in him is screaming at him to give it another go.

 

And Yixing doesn’t know why he couldn’t open it before because with the slightest of prods, the locket pops open. “What the fuck.” The curse leaves his mouth automatically, most likely due to Baekhyun’s influence.

 

“Language,” his mother chides. Okay. Uh. What the fuck.

 

Yixing only says it in his mind this time, probably because his mouth is too busy hanging open.

 

He sees his mother’s relieved smile through the mirror and realizes that he is holding a scrying glass. “I am glad you are safe, my son.” 

 

“Mother?” Is he hallucinating? 

 

She smiles radiantly, although he can see the tiredness that has seeped into her soul. “Hello, Yixing.” Yixing sits up right and immediately fires off questions. 

 

“Hello, Mother. Are you alright? Is father alright? Is the kingdom alright? How have you been? What is the status? Say hello to Luhan for me, please? Why didn’t you tell me the locket was a communication device?”

 

To the last question, the queen dons a wry smile. “It is not like I had time to inform you of everything, my child.” 

 

Right, right. Oh, and another thing. “What happened to the Forbidden Forest, with the fire?”

 

“We lost some bit of land that day,” his mother admits. “But we managed to save what was most important that day.”

 

“What was that?” Yixing is buzzing with energy and unanswered questions. Baekhyun sleeps soundly in his room, unbothered. 

 

“You, my son.” 

 

Yixing blinks once, twice, and then a third time. What? “Is that why you sent me away? Because you thought I would be hurt in the fire?”

 

His mother’s typically regal expression falters for a moment. “I had no choice. The fire would have claimed your life, in whatever way it could.” 

 

Yixing frowns heavily, exactly in the way a person does when their mother tells them they were destined to die but cheated death by going to another world. “How do you know that?” Which oracle or truthsayer or psychic did it?

 

The queen is silent, as she takes in the appearance of the son she has not seen for months. “I had a vision, my dear.”

 

“A vision.” Now, Yixing’s not dumb, but let him ask his mother a kind of stupid question anyway. “You have visions?” he asks, right after his mother has told him so. 

 

She smiles in affirmation.

 

Oh. So his mother is the psychic who did it. 

 

Well, now. Yixing always wondered why his mother knew everything. This piece of information explains a significant amount of his childhood. 

 

“I will send for you soon, my darling son,” she promises. “I love you.”

 

“I love you too,” he responds back, earnest. He truly has missed his mother, his home, his kingdom. And yet, Yixing feels his throat go dry. “But how soon would you say, mother?” He should be elated that he is going home, but all he feels is anxiety.

 

“Only a few more weeks,” his mother says. “We are winning the war and the rebellion dies a little each day.” 

 

Which is great. Except all he can think about is how will Baekhyun wake up on time without him? “Great.” 

 

"Also, what are you wearing, son?" She eyes the ~designer~ spider-man pajama set that Baekhyun has loaned to him with a critical eye. 

 

He responds weakly with the answer that Baekhyun always gives him. "It's called fashion, mother." 

 

Yixing doesn’t sleep well that night. 

 

-

 

Chanyeol and Baekhyun have finally picked up their tradition of playing games together again, as Yixing and Kyungsoo sit off to the side and sip tea. Yixing had tried this “Overwatch” game once, at Baekhyun’s assistance, but found that he truly did not do Mercy justice. 

 

“Would you say that your relationship with Park Chanyeol is worth a million dollars?” Yixing is truly curious as he watches Kyungsoo watch Chanyeol, as his prior conversation with Baekhyun about the couple still fresh in his mind. 

 

Kyungsoo looks like he wants to deny any and all type of relationship with Chanyeol, but he sighs instead. Quietly, and in a rare showcase of honesty, Kyungsoo speaks so that only Yixing can hear. “I would say that my relationship with Park Chanyeol is priceless.” 

 

While Yixing may not know the exact worth of a million dollars, he does know the worth in Do Kyungsoo’s facial expression- which is all soft adoration for his taller other half. 

 

And that is all the answer Yixing needs.

 

Because the way Kyungsoo looks at Chanyeol is the same way Baekhyun looks at him. All soft adoration. 

 

-

 

The rest of October passes quickly, as does most of November. It is a flurry of studying, exams, and more studying for Baekhyun- and by extension, Yixing.

 

Yixing helps where he can with the math stuff he does know, but mostly, he offers coffee at four in the morning and tries to stay awake on the nights when Baekhyun looks particularly ready to stress cry. Yixing is always available for hugs at any time of the day for his cute little stressed out human savior. 

 

The highlight of November is Chanyeol’s birthday, where they visit Chanyeol and eat a lot of food and make fun of Kyungsoo because- hey, guess who cooked all the food.

 

It is very cute and a very good time. 

 

-

 

“Will you come to my graduation?” Baekhyun asks, shy. And Baekhyun is never shy. “It’s coming up in two weeks, the week after finals.” Baekhyun is holding up a small slip of paper for him to take. A ticket, he tells Yixing. 

 

Yixing is staying in Baekhyun’s apartment on borrowed time. Who knows when his mother will send for him? “Two weeks, you say?”

 

“Yup! And after I pass all my finals, I’ll be free!” Baekhyun beams, hand still outstretched for Yixing to take. He jabbers on about how the ceremony will probably be long and kind of boring, but that he gets his diploma after this, so he’s excited anyway. Baekhyun explains quickly that Chanyeol and Kyungsoo will be there too, with his family, because of course he has to invite all the important people in his life for this academic rite of passage.

 

The implication of his importance in Baekhyun’s life is not lost on Yixing. 

 

Yixing takes the ticket out of Baekhyun’s hand and smiles appreciatively, but says nothing. 

 

-

 

Yixing has seen Baekhyun study before, but not quite like this. Yixing is pretty sure Baekhyun hasn’t slept in three days. 

 

“You look stressed.” Yixing points out the eye bags underneath Baekhyun’s eyes as nicely as possible. 

 

“Thanks, it’s the stress,” Baekhyun replies, automatically. 

 

Yixing is informed that it is the dreaded finals week. Boy, is it a long week. The elven prince does his best to help Baekhyun where he can, antsy in preparation for when he will no longer have the opportunity to help. Any day now, his mother could call for him through the locket and whisk him away.

 

So for now, Yixing take overs their breakfast ritual, constantly reminds Baekhyun that his fancy piece of paper will make all of this worth it (he thinks), and offers a lot of hugs.

 

The hugs help a lot. 

 

-

 

Yixing is a little concerned with how fast Chanyeol is inhaling copious amounts of alcohol, but Baekhyun, Chanyeol, and Kyungsoo all took their last exam a mere two hours ago, so who is Yixing to tell him to slow down? Or to be careful? Or to maybe take a break and drink some water?

 

He fidgets in his seat. 

 

Baekhyun explains to him that it is college student tradition (or at least theirs) to get wasted (“WASTED!” Chanyeol yells) right after finals are over. Even Kyungsoo is knocking back shots of soju, giggling happily. Baekhyun’s own cheeks are colored pink and he is happy to refill any empty glass cups. 

 

“Please, oh beautiful elven prince,” Baekhyun teases, already buzzed. “Partake! And be merry!” He hands Yixing his very own shot glass. 

 

Yixing would like to argue that he does not talk like that, but Baekhyun is shoving the glass in his hands and pouring the alcohol before he can get a word out. Yixing sniffs at the liquid cautiously because he already knows that he does not drink well. Back home, Luhan would always tease him when he gets red-faced and properly sloshed after a glass of wine or two. 

 

But Baekhyun is smiling at him so beautifully that he can’t help but sip on the drink. Baekhyun, Chanyeol, and Kyungsoo all collectively cheer. 

 

Yixing sips more of it. 

 

Alcohol definitely loosens the tongue. Maybe that’s why his mother doesn’t like him drinking it? It does no good for the crown prince to be spilling all their secrets at the dinner table, but what can Yixing do, really? If the truth comes out, then the truth comes out!

 

And so, Yixing finds a question leaving his lips before he can fully think it through. 

 

“What would you do without me, Baekhyun?” Yixing wonders. The locket burns on his neck, a signal of what is to soon come. 

 

Baekhyun laughs, like the possibility is impossible. “Be late all the time, that’s for sure. And be lonely too!”

 

Yixing finds it hard to return the laughter. 

 

So he drinks to that instead. 

 

-

 

Yixing sighs happily as they walk into the apartment, properly buzzed and sated. 

 

Baekhyun has found that Yixing does not handle his alcohol all that well. Then again, no one does, compared to their reigning champ Park Chanyeol. Even after hours and bottles later, Chanyeol looked relatively well, hoisting a sleeping Kyungsoo on his back, ready to take his small little tsundere home. Chanyeol calls Baekhyun and Yixing a lyft driver, acting as the responsible friend, even if he was the one to lick the table when Yixing accidentally spilled some of his drink, to not ~waste~ any of it. 

 

And so, even though Baekhyun is also feeling a little wobbly and his head is already throbbing, Baekhyun and Yixing make it home safe and sound. He physically helps Yixing to the couch/his bed, practically lugging the prince over. Yixing is a giggly mess of red cheeks and flailing limbs. The sight is very Cute. Like, with a capital C. 

 

He sits Yixing on the couch and takes a seat next to him. He needs a break, okay. “Whoo~” Baekhyun lets out a big sigh, ready to pass out from exertion, happiness, and sleep deprivation. 

 

“Baekhyun,” Yixing calls out, his face a mere foot away, legs pressed together on the sofa.

 

Baekhyun turns to look and he swears to god that the world slows down like in those shoujo mangas. 

 

Oh god, Yixing is looking at him like how he looks at the water boiler. Baekhyun is the water boiler. “Oh my god,” Baekhyun whispers. Drunk revelations are always mind blowing, but this one seems particularly world changing. Yixing is looking at him with such affection? It’s? Overwhelming?? 

 

“Oh my god,” Yixing whispers back, giggling, getting that much closer. The truth is coming out!! Oh, alcohol. He didn’t want to confess to Baekhyun since he knew he would be leaving, but it’s happening. It is definitely happening. 

 

Baekhyun is suddenly hypersensitive to everything. How hot it is in the apartment, how close Yixing is, how they may be should not have drank that last bottle. “Hi,” he says. Normal inside-voice volume now. “Ready for bed?” 

 

Yixing decides to throw his arms over Baekhyun instead, hugging him. “Baekhyun,” Yixing nuzzles into his neck. Baekhyun is on fire. Is this a dream? This suspiciously seems like the start of a Baekhyun fantasy? When he’s about to slap himself for verification on reality, Yixing’s words distract him. “I’ll miss you when I go,” Yixing sighs. 

 

Baekhyun only laughs incredulously. “Go where?” Because Baekhyun is a little drunk too- drunk enough to not remember that Yixing doesn’t actually live in this apartment, with him, in this world. 

 

“I adore you so much, my cute little human savior,” he croons. Yixing smiles sleepily and presses a gentle kiss to Baekhyun’s lips. 

 

Well. Baekhyun’s mind has imploded and all he can do is hope to remember this in the morning. 

 

Because Yixing falls asleep soon after that and Baekhyun follows his example, still on the couch. Baekhyun falls asleep in Yixing’s arms. 

 

-

 

Baekhyun wakes up late and hungover as shit, his alarm clock ringing in the distance, and decidedly alone. He wakes up with a start, rubbing at his eyes in the groggy way most people do when they are startled awake and have a bad headache. 

 

Wait.

 

Alarm clock?  

 

Baekhyun hasn’t used his alarm clock since he met Yixing.

 

Yixing- holy shit, Yixing kissed him. He kissed Yixing. They kissed. Because he likes him! And then he said he would miss him when he goes. 

 

_Goes?_

 

Where is Yixing? 

 

Something akin to panic quickly rises up Baekhyun’s throat as the sleepiness fades and alarm takes its place. Where is Yixing?

 

He doesn’t have time to deal with this hangover. He doesn’t even remember when was the last time he was this hungover. He doesn’t remember the last time he felt this hysteric either. 

 

“Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuuuuck,” Baekhyun shoots up from the couch, grabs his phone and keys, and runs out the door. He’s still wearing the same clothes from yesterday as runs down the stairs of his apartment complex two at a time, kind of praying that he doesn’t break his ankle in the process, but mostly just hoping that he finds Yixing before it is too late.

 

He is out the door and in the streets before he realizes- he doesn’t know where Yixing could be.

 

But by the laws of all the anime he has watched, vested by the power of all the manhwa he has read, Baekhyun’s instincts tell him to follow his heart.

 

And his heart leads him to campus, to the exact spot where he found Yixing.

 

Baekhyun runs all the way there, thighs burning, chest heaving, and hoping he’s not late. 

 

On the plus side, he doesn’t feel hungover anymore. It’s probably the adrenaline, he thinks, as he runs. 

 

Baekhyun is not disappointed. Yixing is standing there, in front of a portal, his back facing Baekhyun. He is decked out in the armor that Baekhyun had found him in, rescued from the depths of Baekhyun’s closet after a whole school semester. The campus is deserted, with the official day of classes being yesterday. Which is appropriate, for a magical send off. 

 

“So you have to go back now?” Baekhyun stands a couple feet away from Yixing, catching his breath. 

 

Yixing turns around, surprised. “Baekhyun!” Is he surprised that Baekhyun found him? Yes. Is he happy about it? Still yes.

 

"You're gonna miss my graduation," Baekhyun blurts out, panicked, stepping closer. "Don't leave before you go to my graduation!" Any event that will make Yixing stay longer, Baekhyun will take. 

 

Yixing did not have the heart to wake Baekhyun up when he left that morning, only to say goodbye to him. “I know, Baekhyun,” Yixing says, somber and serious, very much alike the first time Baekhyun met him. “But I have been summoned to return home. The war has been won. It is safe for me to claim my crown.” 

 

Baekhyun frowns hard, but he always knew this day would come. Fine. “And another thing!” Baekhyun shouts, as if he didn’t hear Yixing’s apology. “You can’t just surprise kiss someone like that and go home!” Baekhyun argues. Yixing blushes at the recollection. He certainly did not mean to kiss-it-and-quit-it. “Like, it should have at least been a sober kiss!” Yixing blushes harder, if possible. 

 

“I really am sorry,” Yixing apologizes. He knows their circumstances are not ideal, but-

 

But Baekhyun is stomping closer to him. “This is how you do a surprise kiss!” And Baekhyun just pulls him closer by the straps of his armor and kisses him. It is a little more forceful than last night, but sets fire to Yixing’s skin in the same way it does to Baekhyun. When they break apart, Baekhyun is smiling at him sadly. He knows Yixing has to return home, knew that this was an inevitable parting. Unfortunately, he had gotten use to Yixing's home being the same as his own. “I’ll miss you when you go too.” 

 

“Did you know,” Yixing starts, way too casual for the situation. He takes a step away from Baekhyun and a step closer to the portal. Baekhyun already hates the distance. “That the day I met you, I was meant to die in a forest fire? That’s why my mother sent me here. She knew.” A thoughtful pause. “She always knows.” 

 

“Bless your mother,” Baekhyun says, before he can stop it. He doesn’t bother asking why or how Yixing would have died. He does not know. He does not care. All he cares about is that he got to meet Yixing, that Yixing is still alive and dastardly handsome and right in front of him. 

 

Yixing smiles, dimpled and pretty in response. Baekhyun feels so, so fond. 

 

“I’m glad I got to meet you.” The way Baekhyun is standing suggests nonchalance but his voice cracks mid-sentence and the delivery falls flat. He smiles anyway because he’s not trying to make this parting any sadder than it has to be. “I love you, you know.” 

 

Yixing kind of feels like slapping himself in the face for putting that expression on Baekhyun’s own cute face. This is why he didn’t want to see Baekhyun before he left. 

 

Not specifically because Baekhyun does a wonderful portrayal of a wounded animal, but because of this feeling. This sinking feeling that Yixing will lose something very precious if he turns his back on Baekhyun and chooses to not look back. “I love you too, Baekhyun,” Yixing says, sincere and fond. 

 

But he most return home. It is his duty, as crown prince. 

 

An impish smile, made one hundred times cuter by the featured appearance of Yixing’s dimple, takes Baekhyun’s breath away. “I’ll just have to come back for you, won’t I?”

 

Baekhyun is not dumb, he swears. But- “Come again?” 

 

“This will not be the last time I see you,” Yixing promises. If he could get here once, he is sure he could get here again. Especially when Yixing knows that there is a Byun Baekhyun waiting for him on the other side of a portal. 

 

Speaking of portals- the only thing standing between Baekhyun and a magical portal leading to another world is Yixing. 

 

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Baekhyun warns, even if he feels hope nestling in his heart. “Are you sure you won’t just go home and forget all about me?” 

 

“I will see you again, Baekhyun. I would miss you too much otherwise. And I don’t think I could ever forget about you.” Yixing is adamant about this as he places a tender hand on Baekhyun’s cheek. “You are a part of my home now."  

 

Baekhyun loves the way Yixing says his name, loves the implication that comes with the elven prince calling him by just first name. It is in the way that Yixing says Baekhyun’s name that has the other boy believing that this will not be the last time they see each other.

 

But for now, Baekhyun knows Yixing has to go. He places a hand on Yixing’s chest and pushes lightly. The hand resting on Baekhyun’s cheek falls because of it and Baekhyun wishes that didn’t make him so damn sad. “Go on now, crown prince Yixing. Claim your kingdom.”

 

"Tell Park Chanyeol and Do Kyungsoo goodbye for me," Yixing says. "For now," he tacks on, smiling. 

 

Baekhyun laughs, smitten. "Tell Luhan and your mother hello for me," he says.  

 

Yixing lets himself be pushed backwards towards the magic doorway that will take him away from the savior who he has come to adore very much. Just a single step. He wants to stretch out this moment with Baekhyun for as long as possible. 

 

“Goodbye only for now, Baekhyun. My mother will want to meet anyone I call by first namesake, so be prepared for that.” Of course Yixing is teasing, even at the end of a farewell. 

 

Baekhyun smiles despite himself, because he really does not want to be saying goodbye to Yixing. “As close kin?”

 

Yixing grins, absolutely gorgeous and dastardly handsome. “More like future mates.” 

 

-end. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> i don't think i did the prompt justice! and i'm pretty there are plotholes! but forgive me bc baekxing is cute? pls and thank you. ily.


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